If you host on Airbnb, you probably got an email in late October titled “Important Changes to House Rules” and then watched the headlines take over. News outlets ran with the idea that Airbnb guests no longer have to do chores, and hosts in online forums started reporting guests leaving a bigger mess at checkout before the rule had even started. That’s the part that caught my attention, because the policy itself is narrower than the headlines, and the real changes for Vancouver owners go well beyond who washes the dishes.
Airbnb’s new house rules apply to every reservation booked on or after November 20, 2026, no matter when the stay takes place. Bookings made before that date keep the rules they were made under. So if you have a listing in Vancouver or North Vancouver, you have a short window to review what your listing asks of guests, what it collects from them, and what you put in your guidebook, because all three are now in scope.
What Airbnb changed at checkout
This is the first time Airbnb has published a house rules policy that spells out which host requests are reasonable and which ones aren’t. The short version is that guests can be asked to leave the home tidy, but they can’t be asked to do work a cleaner would normally handle.
| Hosts can no longer ask guests to | Hosts can still ask guests to |
|---|---|
| Wash and put away dishes | Put used dishes in the sink |
| Strip the beds or start laundry | Gather used towels |
| Take garbage off the property | Sort trash and recycling into the indoor bins |
| Pay hidden fees or fines set by the host | Switch off the AC or heat when leaving |
| Follow rules added after booking (by message, sign, or in person) | Lock up at checkout |
Airbnb is also moving hosts to seven standard house rules: maximum overnight guests, quiet hours, events, pets, smoking and vaping, commercial photography, and locking up at checkout. Anything beyond that gets judged listing by listing. Airbnb’s own examples of fair local exceptions are animal proof bins in bear country and shower limits during a drought, which is worth keeping in mind for North Shore homes near the trails.
The detail that matters most for owners is the last row on the left. Only the rules shown on the listing at the time of booking count. A laminated checkout list on the fridge or a reminder message the night before can’t add new obligations anymore.
The bigger change: guest contact, IDs and rental agreements
The chores story got the attention, but the rules on guest information will change daily operations more. From November 20, hosts can no longer collect guest contact details by default. Airbnb is masking guest phone numbers, and the temporary numbers expire two days after checkout. Here is what else is now restricted:
- ID copies: You can check ID in person at check-in if your listing says so, but you can’t keep a copy.
- Rental agreements: Separate contracts are out, except for stays of 28 nights or more, optional amenities, Airbnb Luxe listings, or where the law or a community association requires one. Each listing can carry one contract as a PDF, and it’s publicly visible.
- Registration apps and WiFi portals: Guests can’t be required to register on a third party app or website to get into the home or use a key amenity. Keyless entry apps are still fine as long as guests can ask for another way in.
- Security deposits: Most hosts can’t charge one. Damage claims go through AirCover instead.
This is where Vancouver gets specific. A lot of downtown and Yaletown condo buildings have strata rules that require guest registration with the concierge or building management. Airbnb allows data collection when a documented building security rule or HOA requires it, but you have to state what’s required and why, collect only what’s needed, and store it securely. If your building has that kind of bylaw, it needs to be written into the listing now, with the reason, or your check-in process could get flagged.
What this means if you own a short term rental in Vancouver
When I look at the listings owners send me for review, the checkout list is usually the last thing they wrote and the first thing guests complain about. Those lists grew over time because each one fixed a real problem, like a sink full of dishes or wet towels on the floor, and the new policy asks owners to solve those problems somewhere else. In practice that means the turnover has to absorb what guests used to do.
There are three places that shows up. Your cleaning fee or nightly rate may need to cover the extra time a cleaner spends on dishes and linens, which is a pricing decision rather than a policy requirement. Your listing text and guidebook need a careful read, since Airbnb’s editor will flag wording that breaks the policy when you save, and a rule saved anyway goes to review. And your reviews are on the line, because if an issue isn’t fixed, guests may see an alert on the listing such as “includes cleaning requests,” and persistent problems can lower your search visibility or cost you Superhost or Guest Favorite status.
Airbnb is reviewing listings from November 20, 2026 through March 2027, and hosts get at least 20 days to fix or appeal a flagged rule. That sounds generous until you remember that Vancouver hosts are already juggling the provincial registration number, the City business licence, and strata bylaws. Nobody wants a listing notice landing in the middle of licence renewal season.
Your checklist before November 20
In the homes we co-host across Vancouver and North Vancouver, our cleaning team already handles dishes, linens and garbage at every turnover, so the chores rule changes very little for our owners. The guest data and house rules pieces are a different story, and those are what we’re working through listing by listing this month. If you manage your own listing, here is the order I’d go in:
- Rewrite your house rules using Airbnb’s seven standard rules, and delete any checkout task beyond tidying, towels, sorting trash and locking up.
- Audit your guidebook and in-home signs. Anything that reads like a new rule rather than helpful information should come out or be reworded as a friendly tip.
- Check your strata bylaws for guest registration or concierge requirements, then state them in the listing with the reason.
- Remove contract, ID copy and deposit requirements unless one of Airbnb’s exceptions clearly applies to you.
- Review your cleaning fee and nightly rate so the turnover covers the work guests no longer do.
- Save your listing and watch for flags from Airbnb’s editor, then fix or appeal within the 20 day window.
- Confirm your provincial registration number and City of Vancouver licence are showing correctly while you’re in there, since platforms remove listings without valid numbers.
Common questions
When do Airbnb’s new house rules start?
They apply to reservations booked on or after November 20, 2026, whatever the stay dates. Bookings made before then aren’t affected.
Can I still ask Airbnb guests to load the dishwasher?
No. You can ask guests to put used dishes in the sink, but washing and putting them away is now considered a cleaner’s job.
Can I charge a fine if guests leave the place messy?
No. Fines set by the host and hidden fees aren’t allowed. Damage goes through AirCover, and local bylaw fines belong in the listing’s Local rules section.
Can my Vancouver strata still require guest registration?
Yes, if a documented building security rule or strata bylaw requires it. State the requirement and the reason in your listing, and collect only what the building needs.
Can I still use a rental agreement?
Only for stays of 28 nights or more, optional amenities, Airbnb Luxe, or where the law or a community association requires one. It must be on the listing before the guest books.
Does a co host help with this?
A good co host builds the turnover around these rules, keeps your listing wording compliant, and handles guest communication inside Airbnb’s messaging, so you don’t have to rework your hosting habits yourself. If you’re weighing your options, here’s how a co host compares to a property management company.
Want a second set of eyes on your listing?
If you’d rather not untangle house rules, strata bylaws and Airbnb’s new editor on your own this month, I’m happy to look at your listing with you. Book a free 30 minute Property Review by Zoom and we’ll go through what needs to change before November 20, and whether Boutique Airbnb Co Hosting is a fit for your home. You can also reach me at eric@vancouverairbnbcohosting.com or 604 674 8141.
Sources
Checked November 12, 2026:
